Empathic Writing
‘Bin or Bag’?
Loose it “Bin it” if…….
Keep it “Bag it” if…..
If just retells the plot
It focuses on the character’s feelings
It makes reference to completely the
wrong moment
It is clear that the candidate understands
the situation the character is in and their
feelings at that exact moment in the play
The answer is developed and moves
convincingly from one thought to the next
It doesn’t show an understanding of the
cultural context
The character’s thoughts do not reflect
their personality/role in play
The candidate integrates key words and
phrases from different parts of the play to
show a good understanding of the
character.
It doesn’t sound like the character
It sounds likes the character and uses
the words that they word use.
Decide whether you would ‘bin’ or ‘bag’ the following example answers. You may
wish to bag bits of an answer but bin other bits. Highlight your ideas on the text.
You are Mama just as you clasp the cheque in your hands for the first time.
Write your thoughts
I am Walter’s mum. I live in a really small flat and although I love my family, they
sometimes really get on my nerves. First of all, Beneatha just rambles on about
Africa all of the time. Then, Travis is a right little pain-really noisy and all. Walter and
Ruth just argue all of the time. Anyway, the cheque has arrived. Travis bought it up
and then I opened it and then Ruth and Walter had a massive argument and then
Walter stormed out.
Gawleeee! I be holding ten thousand dollars. I can’t wait to spend it. I’m gonna take
Ruth out shopping-she could do with a break, and I’m going to spoil Travis with so
many trainers and Justin Beaver CDs. I’ll have to save some for Beneatha’s college
education and if she gets married to Assagai, an African wedding too! I just can’t wait
to buy those pearl earings and matching twin set.
Wow! I can’t believe that I am holding ten thousand dollars in my hands. I have never
in my life owned this much money. Is that really the right amount of zeros? I will have
to get Travis to check that later. I can’t believe that this morning Walter and
Beneatha were behaving like we were the poorest people in the world and now we
have ten thousand dollars. Now I will be able to gibe Walter the money to put down
on his liquor store
Ten thousand dollars! Lord almighty! I never thought I done know what ten
thousand dollars looked like. So many zeros? This morning you would of thought my
children done all but starved to death the way they carrying on and now we got ten
thousand dollars. Ten thousand dollars.
Still, I ain’t gonna start getting ahead of myself. Money ain’t life. Big Walter ain’t
worked night after night for this money for nothing. I ain’t gonna waste it and I ain’t
gonna let no son of mine put the money down on no liquor stall, not in my presence
and in my house. Lord, those children of mine..I just don’t know what done got into
them-seems life just ‘bout money nowdays. No, we got enough to do with that
money.
First off we gotta get out of this old rat trap of a house. I mean, it be nice and all
when me and Big Walter first moved in-what big plans we done had then. But Ruth’s
right, it is a rat trap now.